lack of physical players. this has to change. not a playoff style of team, if they make it

[RangersFan1994]

so no one is concerned with the lack of grit and physicality on this team? so this team will get beat up like they did vs the Hurricanes IF THEY make the playoffs. great job Gorts did. these kids need to defend themselves. could have traded for a someone to replace Lemmy like Crouse. hopefully Cuylle will be that guy down the road in the future, but can use someone now.

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[Hi ImHFNYR]

So no one is concerned that you capitalized all the names and none of the first letters to start each sentence

Idk why that bothered me lol.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

should have gone after Bennett. What did he cost? A 2nd + some rando prospect? He's exactly what we needed. He's gonna kick ass for Florida in the playoffs

 

[CasusBelli]

You don’t need to be the Blues or Bruins to win the Cup.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Maybe this unexplained prolonged scratch of Gauthier was actually 4D chess to piss him off enough that the gentle giant comes out with a mean streak

 

[tomobson]

I've said this before, but there was close to nothing that management was able to to do to fix roster issues this season. Management knows this team would get destroyed in a playoff series but all they really wanted was to make use of what is probably the last season we'll have of this veteran core put together to play some meaningful games down the road. Next season when we have cap space the rangers will identify and sign role players to sprinkle in on the bottom six since they won't be filled with top draft picks anymore.

 

[IDvsEGO]

so guys like laf/kakko/chytil, kreider, are big strong fast, who have potential to thrive in a playoff environment. You don't neccessarily need to ice 12 matt martin's to success in the playoffs, so long as you can absorb hits and play in the dirty areas.
If your skilled players can play below the dots, you dont need to add those types of players to your roster.

 

[romba]

is Glass available

 

[Tawnos]

The 2nd two Hawks Cup winning teams were decidedly un-gritty.

 

[Rongomania]

should have gone after Bennett. What did he cost? A 2nd + some rando prospect? He's exactly what we needed. He's gonna kick ass for Florida in the playoffs

The only solace I have found in us not offering that is that we have an attainable better target.

Truly hope that's the case.

 

[UnSandvich]

If Zibanejad doesn't catch COVID, or Panarin or Shesterkin don't miss significant periods of time, this is a playoff team. Full stop. Even in the toughest division in the league.

 

[Rongomania]

If Zibanejad doesn't catch COVID, or Panarin or Shesterkin don't miss significant periods of time, this is a playoff team. Full stop. Even in the toughest division in the league.

Yeah, at this point I'm just looking forward to next season. Where it really will all begin for this fresh group. That and I hope the kids just rack it up until the end here and just continue to give it everything and grow in these last few games.

 

[IDvsEGO]

If Zibanejad doesn't catch COVID, or Panarin or Shesterkin don't miss significant periods of time, this is a playoff team. Full stop. Even in the toughest division in the league.

I think most of us agree, but the post isn’t necessarily talking about making the playoffs, but that to have success in the playoffs you need to play gritty. I don’t necessarily agree with that but that’s what op is saying.

 

[Overcast]

Good thing there's plenty of time to add some competent grit before this team is ready to make some real noise in the playoffs. If they snuck in this season it would be a nice bonus for the team, but I don't think anyone, management included, seriously expects them to make a run.

 

[Off Sides]

More Lindgren, less McQuaid.

 

[will1066]

I agree with the OP. The fancy stuff works in the normal regular season, when sheer talent enables them to exert their will on lesser teams. Even in an unconventional season such as this one, where they play only interdivision teams, they've been able to dominate with their east-west perimeter hockey. That type of style won't fly in the playoffs. Other teams have elite players who will go into the dirty areas and are happy to get greasy goals. It's imperative that the kids develop some grit in them, so that they become more Crosby, more Barkov than the Panarins and Stromes of the world. And indications are that this is happening. Laf is scoring from in front, Kakko is banging home rebounds. Chytil is driving to the net. Gauthier, if he ever gets out of purgatory, was doing that. Kravtsov shows that he can go inside too.

 

[SML2]

Until this team figures out who is part of the core and who is expendable/replaceable, ice time is too valuable a commodity to waste it on guys who aren't part of it. IMO, the Ranger PP right now is a nuclear deterrent far more effective than any sandpaper guy in this league.

 

[Savant]

should have gone after Bennett. What did he cost? A 2nd + some rando prospect? He's exactly what we needed. He's gonna kick ass for Florida in the playoffs

Bennett actually cost a lot. Heineman is legit

Yes, it would not hurt if the Rangers got more tough, but it needs to be the right players too. They have to be good; you can’t exactly run a goon line anymore either.
You also need to think about what “soft” players you would have to sacrifice to facilitate this.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

The 2nd two Hawks Cup winning teams were decidedly un-gritty.

2013 had Bolland, Bickell and Shaw in their top 9 so this isn’t accurate at all.


I don’t think you can really grit your way to a cup, but it does need to be there in a way that is more significant than what we’re running out there. It’s not a coincidence that Tampa finally won once they started to add these guys.

 

[Crease]

Some strawman responses in this thread. No one is clamoring for Tanner Glass or 12 Matt Martins. Nothing controversial about acknowledging that the third and fourth lines lack physical players. The playoffs are a grind and you have to be able to give more than you take, or you'll end up with a bunch of AAAA players in the lineup by Game 7. I hope this is addressed when the team has cap flexibility again.

 

[RangersFan1994]

The 2nd two Hawks Cup winning teams were decidedly un-gritty.

they also have had players Andrew Shaw, Carcillo, and Big Buff and the Glass version of Bollig... Rangers only have Lindgren who can be compared to those types. soft teams do not do anything in the playoffs. need players to send messages from game to game, that still does happen in the playoffs

 

[RangersFan1994]

Some strawman responses in this thread. No one is clamoring for Tanner Glass or 12 Matt Martins. Nothing controversial about acknowledging that the third and fourth lines lack physical players. The playoffs are a grind and you have to be able to give more than you take, or you'll end up with a bunch of AAAA players in the lineup by Game 7. I hope this is addressed when the team has cap flexibility again.

more Dubinsky Callahan types would be more useful

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

How physical is Barron?

 

[chosen]

so no one is concerned with the lack of grit and physicality on this team? so this team will get beat up like they did vs the Hurricanes IF THEY make the playoffs. great job Gorts did. these kids need to defend themselves. could have traded for a someone to replace Lemmy like Crouse. hopefully Cuylle will be that guy down the road in the future, but can use someone now.

The types of players you want usually join the team at the end of the process. First you figure out the high-end stuff.

 

[broadwayblue]

so no one is concerned with the lack of grit and physicality on this team? so this team will get beat up like they did vs the Hurricanes IF THEY make the playoffs. great job Gorts did. these kids need to defend themselves. could have traded for a someone to replace Lemmy like Crouse. hopefully Cuylle will be that guy down the road in the future, but can use someone now.

Have you not listened to what the team has said about this?